ALBANY BILLS. Support these by clicking "Aye" on the bill's website.
FRANKENSTEINING: S9280B and A6216A. This bill would set the first rent of any combined ("Frankensteined") apartment at the last rent stabilized rent paid, increased by the same percent as the size is increased. It is sponsored by State Senator Brian Kavanagh (head of the Senate's housing committee), along with all the Upper West Side senators: Hoylman-Sigal, Cleare, Jackson. In the Assembly, it is sponsored by Housing Committee chair Linda Rosenthal.
WAREHOUSING: A4455. This bill would tax rent-regulated apartments that are held vacant for 6 months or more. DHCR would presume that any rent stabilized or rent controlled apartment that the landlord hasn't registered with the state that year is vacant.
One reason owners are warehousing apartments is to pressure the state legislature to roll back some of the tenant protections written into a permanent law in 2019. To accomplish that, landlord associations have drafted S.6352 in the Senate and A6772 in the Assembly. That bill would provide for enormous rent hikes when someone moves out of a rent stabilized apartment after 10 or more years. We have to fight this! When Albany made the 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act permanent (the first permanent housing law in many years), they meant it.
GOOD CAUSE: This would protect tenants who are NOT rent stabilized or rent controlled. It would offer tenants a defense in court if the landlord refuses to renew their lease and then tries to evict them, and would prevent enormous rent hikes. Governor Hochul does not support this bill, but she should. The name stands for "No eviction without good cause."
Got questions, suggestions, or comments? Tell the Executive Committee or a Board Member of the tenant association.
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The Executive Committee of the Central Park Gardens Tenants' Association
Sue Susman, 15T, president, sue [dot] susman (at sign) gmail . com
Jodi Brockington, 14C, vice president, niarajb \at\ gmail {d o t] com
Barbara Geller,11T treasurer, barbarageller39 {At} gmail |dot\ com
Denis Hayward, 7K, vice president, denis (dot) hayward \at\ gmail {dot] com
Patricia Jordan, 4R, vice president, pjordan0711 [at) gmail/dot/ com
Steve Koulish, 12C, vice president, eskoolman ~at~ yahoo [dot} com
Ray von Dohren, 4N, vice president, vondohren \at\ comcast {dot] net
Additional Board Members:
Rosa Delgado, 2T
Ayana Dixon, 11C
Debbie Gonzalez, 15G
Alexandra Martin, 6E
Alec Merber, 10G
Letty Orellano, 8T
John "Bones" Rodriguez, 11F
Maxine Soares, 15N
Thanks to Jodi Brockington for the photo.